You Are Invited!
Thank you to Tricia Carr for alerting me to this party! Sorry the picture is a bit small, if I make it bigger it doesn’t…
In My Mailbox: Week of February 27
In My Mailbox: Week of February 27
Title: Tales From the Yoga Studio
Author: Rain Mitchell
Received: From Rubyna Mansuri @ FSB Associates
Synopsis: The yoga studio is where daily cares are set aside, mats are unfurled, and physical exertion leads to well-being, renewal, and friendship. An aggressively expanding chain of Los Angeles yoga “experience centers,” has Lee and her extraordinary teaching abilities in its sights. They woo her with a lucrative contract, a trademarked name for her classes, and a place for her handsome musician husband. But accepting the contract means abandoning the students at the homey studio Lee runs in L.A.’s Silver Lake district- and leaving behind four women whose friendships are suddenly more important to her than retirement benefits and a salary increase.
Tales from the Yoga Studio is an insider’s look at the current obsession with yoga, told with enough humor, wit, and warmth to charm and delight readers, whether or not they’ve ever done a Downward Dog.
Title: Everleigh in NYC
Author: Cathleen Holst
Received: From Cathleen Holst
Synopsis: Cheating boyfriend aside, Everleigh Carlisle picks up the shattered pieces of her life, determined to put them back together. On a whim, Everleigh and her BFF Christina visit a voodoo priestess while celebrating Mardi Gras in the Big Easy, where an unspoken wish is granted, unknowingly altering the course of Everleigh’s life. Two years later, her dreams are set to come true when she lands her dream job as a columnist for New York’s premiere fashion magazine, Trés Magnifique. Everleigh’s life quickly becomes complicated when her ex re-declares his love for her, and she meets Robert Cates, only to discover three things: 1)She is extremely attracted to him. 2) She has the bizarre ability to hear his thoughts. 3) He is her new boss. Everleigh takes a long awaited bite from the Big Apple, but are her eyes bigger than her appetite?
Title: Rock Bottom
Author: Erin Brockovich & CJ Lyons
Received: From CJ Lyons
Synopsis: Ten years ago, Angela Joy Palladino left home as a pregnant seventeen-year-old in trouble. Now, after winning and losing a career as an environmental activist, dubbed by the media as “The People’s Champion,” she hopes to start over by taking a new job with a lawyer who is fighting to stop mountain top removal mining.
As a single mom of a special needs nine-year-old boy, Angela is happy for any work she can get, even if it means returning to the West Virginia hometown she left in disgrace. But when her new boss turns up dead and his daughter’s life is threatened, Angela discovers that her own secrets aren’t the only ones her mountain hometown has kept buried.
Hitting rock bottom, Angela must face the betrayal of those once closest to her and confront the harrowing past she thought she had left behind.
Title: Little Miss Teacher
Author: Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar
Received: From Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar
Synopsis: Told through the eyes of Candace Turner, a high school English teacher straight out of college, Little Miss Teacher details one woman’s struggles through the important initial stages of her career and her life as a grown-up. While teaching her students about writing and literature, Candace learns her own lessons about life. As she worries about fitting in with the faculty and conquering piles of essays to grade, Candace also pursues an old crush. Through her endless attempts to succeed in both her job and life, she has many adventures within and outside of her classroom walls. Ultimately, Candace hopes to finish the school year with a feeling of triumph at having touched the lives of her students… and having survived.
In the vein of both Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus’s The Nanny Diaries and Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada, Little Miss Teacher is a story about a young woman dealing with the ups and downs of work and life. In experiences that are sometimes amusing and sometimes sad, Candace endures everything from chaperoning the prom to helping a friend deal with a problem. In her earnest, self-conscious, conversational manner, Candace gives a voice and an all-access pass to the often embarrassing life of a young educator.
Millie’s Fling by Jill Mansell
Millie Brady unexpectedly befriends best-selling novelist Oral Hart the afternoon that Millie gets dumped. Orla, suffering from a writing slump after a scathing review of her latest novel, decides Millie is just what she needs to get her creative juices flowing again. She proposes an idea to Millie regarding her next novel, and makes an offer Millie can’t refuse. As the heroine of Orla’s next romance novel, Millie’s needs a man- or two or three- to spice up her love life.
Millie’s Fling by Jill Mansell is light-hearted and comical. This novel follows all the chick lit guidelines, which made it a tad predictable, but there were some interesting plot twists to keep me on my toes. There was one major reason why I can’t say I love this book. For the first half, the story is told in Millie’s point of view- and only Millie’s. But then suddenly, everyone’s views were in the book! Orla, Millie’s mom, friend, and love interest, were all getting to speak their mind. I was thrown through a loop because I didn’t understand how suddenly I was out of Millie’s head, into Orla’s, then back out again. And there was nothing to break up the POV’s, not a new chapter or even a break in the story. The editor in me was screaming no, no, no!! If it wasn’t for that, I would have rated the book higher, but with conflicting POV’s I just couldn’t do it.
[Rating: 3]
Author Profile: Dee DeTarsio
Author Name: Dee DeTarsio
Website: http://www.deedetarsio.com/
Bio: Dee DeTarsio is a television writer living in southern California. After growing up in Ennui, Ohio, she attended Ohio State University. After graduation, she ended up in Tucson, Arizona, producing the news for the CBS affiliate called KOLD-TV. She moved to San Diego where she worked in the SeaWorld entertainment department as a Producer/Writer, and then became a Producer/Writer with NBC for a live, comedy/variety show.
Currently: Dee still lives in San Diego with her husband John, a Director of Photography, and their two children Tyler and Gianna. She is also working on her third novel, Ros.
Titles: Til Somebody Loves You and The Scent of Jade
See my review of The Scent of Jade
Bio Retrieved from kindle-author.blogspot.com
A Taste of Magic by Tracy Madison
Elizabeth Stevens is turning thirty-five alone and single. If that wasn’t bad enough, she also has to bake the wedding cake for her ex-husband and the woman he left her for. Her partner at their bakery A Taste of Magic booked the event without knowing, and the bakery is in serious need for cash and clients, so the Liz refused to turn them down. Then, her grandmother, kooky Grandma Verda, reveals to Liz that she has inherited magical powers on her birthday. Turns out, Liz is from a line of gypsies, and now the magic has been passed down to her. But she needs to find a way to control her gifts, because simple mistakes can lead to drastic changes for her family and friends. On top of that, Liz is trying to balance between the hunky cop neighbor and her perfect boyfriend material trainer, while juggling her overly nosy family and damn ex husband.
A Taste of Magic by Tracy Madison is cute and quite funny at times. Liz is very relatable, well, besides the whole gypsy magic part, but other than that, she is very down to earth and women would be able to connect with her. I liked the humor in some of the scenes, but the writing didn’t sit well with me. Madison tends to jump forward then back in the timeline of events, often confusing me. And there were a few plot points that I thought were simply unnecessary and could have been cut out. I thought Liz’s character was well built, but some of the supporting characters needed more development. Overall, it was a light read, not my favorite, and the writing needed to be sharper. I know A Taste of Magic is the first in this series, and I hope the others are more engaging.
[Rating: 3.5]
Snake Skin by CJ Lyons
Even though I love chick lit and all things girly, I am also a fan of mysteries and thrillers. When I reviewed my first book from CJ Lyons, Blind Faith, I was blown away by the creative story lines, the intense drama, and breathtaking speed at which I flew the story. When CJ approached me and offered to send me a copy of Snake Skin, of course I said yes!
Snake Skin follows Lucy Guardino, or Supervisory Special Agent Guardino when she is on the job. Lucy is an average mom, in love with her husband, and trying to find a common bond with her teenage daughter. But she also carries a forty-caliber Glock and goes undercover to find criminals for the FBI’s Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement squad. Lucy works to take down criminals who abduct and abuse children, and often puts her life on the line to save the innocent. But when her current case starts hitting too close to home and may be at the hands of an insider, Lucy must work quickly to save a young girl- and possibly her own daughter.
Lyons uses her own experiences from working as a pediatric ER doctor to help the scenarios and characters come to life. Again, I flew through this novel, trying to connect the dots and find the killer along with Lucy. Snake Skin isn’t just from Lucy’s point of view, readers will be able to get into the minds of other FBI workers, as well as the abducted girl and her abductor. This is another great read from CJ Lyons, and I think women will enjoy that kick ass hero portrayed by Lucy.
[Rating: 4.5]
The Scent of Jade by Dee DeTarsio
Julie Fraser is unadventurous, happy and content in her mundane day to day activities in San Diego. But when all signs point to surprising her husband on his business trip in Costa Rica, Julie decides she must follow them. The trip turns out disastrous, leaving Julie fighting to stay alive Survivor-style in the Costa Rican jungle after accidently stealing an ancient artifact. Julie must figure out if she is leaving her husband, how to get rescued and return to the stone, and if she’s losing her mind because her only friend in the jungle is a monkey. But once a handsome blonde Juan comes to rescue, Julie’s outlook is suddenly looking brighter- until she finds out Juan has been using her to get to the stone. Alone again and in desperate need for help, Julie sets out a path that will lead her to many truths about her husband, her marriage, and herself.
The Scent of Jade by Dee DeTarsio is a unique story about one woman trying to find her way in the world. The story was very creative and quite clever, and I found myself laughing many times. But it wasn’t all humorous, there was a underlying of serious notes also throughout the story, and danger lurking for many of the characters. I thought DeTarsio put together an excellent blend of romance, international mystery, and loveable quirky characters that chick lit fans will love. All that being said, I truly did like this book, but when I finished the last chapter and gathered my thoughts on it, I wasn’t really moved. It was a good story, relatable characters, and an exotic location, but there were times when I failed to see the point, the message the story was bringing to me. But I did enjoy reading it and I think DeTarsio has a fresh take on writing for women, and I will definitely read more of her novels.
[Rating: 4]
In My Mailbox: February 16
In My Mailbox: February 15th
Title: Family Pieces
Author: Misa Rush
Received: From Misa Rush
Synopsis: What do you do when your once charmed life falls to pieces? Karsen Woods’ life seems charmed from her hunkalicious boyfriend to her picture-perfect midwestern roots. Away at college, even the necklace she wears serves as a constant connection home – a family tradition created when her grandfather handmade each immediate relative an interlinking charm. Each piece crafted in the shape of a puzzle piece, each one interlinking perfectly together. But when the unexpected death of her mother turns her world upside down, she discovers there is a missing piece of her treasured family tradition and her life as she once knew it may never be the same. Addison Reynolds resides in her posh Manhattan condominium and wraps her personal identity around running Urbane, the magazine empire built by her father. In a moment of haste, Addison divulges her deepest secret to her closest friend Emily – a secret she never intended to disclose. Could one choice, one secret, bond two unlikely women forever?
Title: The Atlas of Love
Author: Laurie Frankel
Received: For SheKnows Book Club
Synopsis: When Jill Mattison abruptly becomes both pregnant and single at the end of one spring semester, she and her two closest friends plunge headlong into an experiment in tri-parenting, tri-schooling, and tri-habitating as graduate students in Seattle. In a possibly crazy leap of faith, they acquire a big house, a new dog, and lots of tightly scheduled literature courses in fervent hope it will be enough to make a family.
Janey Duncan narrates The Atlas of Love with heartbreaking, heartwarming hilarity and shows how all their lives are forever changed by adventures in non-traditional parenting. Soon, these friends find their lives start to mirror their books, their books start to mirror their lives, and their alternative family becomes just as complicated as the traditional kind. And one tiny baby named Atlas upends and uplifts their entire world.
Like any good family drama, this one involves love affairs, Jewish grandmothers, Mormons, illness, betrayal, tests of the spirit (religious, emotional, and oral before a four-person examining committee), birth, death, and marriage, plus baseball, a gender-misidentified dog, and several dinner table smack downs. The Atlas of Love explores love and loss, friends and family and the fuzzy lines between the two, literature and pedagogy, and timeless mysteries such as who would you forgive for having you arrested and why must the Yankees always make the post-season.
Title: Spinning
Author: Michael Baron
Received: From Lou Aronica @ The Story Plant
Synopsis: Dylan Hunter has it made. At 29, he has great friends, a huge job, all the women he can handle, and no commitments. A public relations executive, Dylan has dashed up the ladder of success by mastering the art of the spin- bending the truth to his and his clients’ needs. But when a former lover steps back into his life with a three-year-old girl by her side (no, she’s not his), Dylan suddenly finds himself in a place he can’t spin himself out of. And when Dylan unexpectedly becomes the child’s sole guardian, he starts to feel like a circus performer trying to keep all his spinning plates from crashing to the ground. In what seems like a blink of the eye, Dylan Hunter’s life has changed completely…whether he’s ready for it or not.
A Girl Like You by Gemma Burgess
The first book I read by Gemma Burgess, The Dating Detox, had me laughing until the end. I was looking forward to her second novel, A Girl Like You, and was hoping for more of the edgy chick lit, anti-romance story. And I was not disappointed. A Girl Like You opens up with a prelude, something that I know is often advised against, but completely works for this story. Why does Abigail have a black eye and is bawling on the floor of her shower- in Hong Kong? Who is the man that comes to save her? The prelude stuck with my while I read the story, and I commend Burgess on opening with a bang. As the story moves along, Abigail is newly single, coming out of a long term relationship, and in desperate need of dating advice. At 27, she is just now going to embark on her first first date. New flatmate Robert, the friend of her sister’s fiancée, is just the guy to help her. Robert teaches Abby how to date like a bastardette, going on several casual dates and thoroughly enjoying her newfound freedom. The supporting cast around Abigail is going through their own troubles, and their stories coincide perfectly with Abigail’s dilemmas.
I thought A Girl Like You deserves five big stars. Burgess writes with humor, wit, crass, and honesty about surviving singledom. I laughed my way throughout the chapters, yet connected with all the characters, not just Abigail. I didn’t find anything about the story real cliché either, which I thought was fantastic. I hate when I start a book knowing exactly what the characters are going to think, feel, and how they will act. This novel is chick lit, but very modern, very open, and very real. I think a lot of readers will be able to connect with the characters, if not Abigail’s then one of her friends. There is something for everybody with this story, and I highly encourage everyone to get a copy. A Girl Like You is my first favorite read of 2011!
[Rating: 5]
